A 50-year-old couple growing poppy in a vegetable greenhouse
Jia and his wife, who are in their 50s, came to Beijing from their hometown in northeastern China to help look after their grandson. In order to help their parents find something to do, the son specially asked his parents to manage the company's vegetable greenhouse. From February to June 1 this year, less than half a year after entering Beijing, the couple were found planting 540 opium poppies in the vegetable greenhouse. Yesterday afternoon, the couple stood trial in the Haidian court on suspicion of illegally planting original drug plants.
accuse
The couple grew poppies in a vegetable greenhouse
Yesterday at about 14 o'clock, 54-year-old Jia and 55-year-old Liu were brought into the courtroom. Although the wind was strong outside the courtroom, the temperature inside the courtroom was still relatively high, and Jia wore only a black short sleeve.
Both are from Jiatun Village, Tuandian Town, Gaizhou City, Liaoning Province. Jia has a junior high school culture and Liu has a primary school culture. Before entering Beijing, both of them were farming in their hometown. For suspected of illegally planting original drug plants
Both were detained by the Haidian Branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau on June 1 this year. Jia was arrested on July 5 this year, and Liu was released on bail on the same day.
Haidian Procuratorate accused in court that since February this year, Jia and Liu had planted and managed to cultivate opium poppies in vegetable greenhouses on the east side of Nanyuhe Village, Shangzhuang Town, Haidian. After being reported by the masses, on June 1, the public security organs seized 540 green plants on the spot in the vegetable greenhouses managed by the two.
After identification, the green plants were tested for morphine, codeine, poppy, tibaine and narcosine. Two people were later caught. Jia Rongbao tested positive for urine.
The prosecution believes that Jia and his wife illegally cultivated opium poppy and should be held criminally responsible for the crime of illegally cultivating original drug plants. The two confessed their crimes truthfully and could be given a lighter punishment.
trial
Husband accuses wife of not knowing
Yesterday's trial, Jia entrusted a defence counsel to appear in court, Liu Yanzhen did not appoint a lawyer.
Faced with the accusation, the couple have no objection to the charges and facts.
In response to a judge's question about "where the poppy seeds came from," Mr. Jia said he bought them from a market in Beijing. "I bought them myself, and I thought they were flower seeds. When the seedlings came out, they were later caught, and I found out they were poppies." Mr. Jia later said he knew that growing poppies was illegal, "and we call it'big smoke 'over there," he said.
"This is all planted by me, and she doesn't know the specific source." In court, Jia repeatedly emphasized that he bought the seeds, planted and managed the poppies in the greenhouse, and his wife didn't know anything.
As for why his urine tested positive, Jia said he had never used drugs and did not know why he tested positive. His lawyer argued that it may be the cause of drug contamination during planting.
The vegetable greenhouse is understood to belong to Beijing Shanbei Green Agriculture Co., Ltd. The head of the company, Mr. Zhai, testified that Jia Rongbao's son was an employee of the company and provided a greenhouse for their family to live in on Jan. 30. When the greenhouse was provided for Jia and his wife to live in, there was a handover list of items and planting in the greenhouse. "I don't know who planted poppies in the greenhouse, and I don't know who planted them," Mr. Zhai said. When he handed over the greenhouse to Jia's family, there were no poppies in the greenhouse.
Yesterday in court, the order was also presented to the couple in court. Jia Zai read it to express his approval, but Liu turned around and refused to read it. She said that she had no culture and could not understand it.
Photos, videos and other evidence from the scene show that some of the poppies in the vegetable greenhouse have already borne spherical fruits, and some are still blooming. The video shows that at about 10:30 am on June 1 this year, in the vegetable greenhouse, a number of police officers plucked the poppies one by one and counted them. A total of 540 poppies were recovered at the scene.
"We came to Beijing in January this year to manage this vegetable greenhouse. Because we don't understand the law, it has caused serious adverse effects. After this time, we must not make any more mistakes," Jia said.
"I pleaded guilty and asked the presiding judge to give a light sentence. I realized this mistake, I have no culture, and I no longer commit crimes." Liu cried.
"I hope you realize the dangers of this matter. There are many reports in the newspapers and the Internet that drugs are very harmful, because there are many cases of drug use and drug trafficking being destroyed by families, and you still grow them from the source. Think about the dangers of doing this," the presiding judge in the case cautioned.
The case was not decided in court.
> > Relevant laws
The Criminal Law stipulates that the crime of illegally cultivating original drug plants refers to the illegal cultivation of opium poppy, cannabis and other original drug plants in large quantities, or the cultivation after being handled by the public security organs, or the act of resisting eradication.
Those who illegally cultivate opium poppy, cannabis and other original drug plants shall be forcibly eradicated. Anyone who falls under any of the following circumstances shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than 5 years, criminal detention or public surveillance, and shall also be fined:
(1) Cultivating more than 500 opium poppies but less than 3,000 opium poppies or other drug-producing plants with a large number;
(2) Planted after being handled by the public security organ;
(3) Resisting eradication.
According to this provision, the number of penalties for this crime is 500 poppy plants, which constitutes the crime of illegal cultivation of original drug plants.
